Winter 2025 Newsletter

Dear Water4Haiti Friends,

Compound still untouched by the gangs

We have just finished the Thanksgiving season and are now decorating for Christmas. We had a delicious meal with family and friends and ate too much. Yes, we are truly blessed. We are only 4% of the world’s population but even the poorest are better off than most of the others. The 50% in the middle earn only $5/day and the top 1% of the world’s most wealthy own 50% of the world’s wealth. With this in mind yes, Haiti is at the bottom of the list with half of its people hungry, not having electricity or water and a proper sewage system is totally out of the question. So with the current gangster situation, with 2 million run out of their homes, 22,000 murdered, hungry and fearful for your family’s safety, pretty hard to say, “ How are you doing”, to anyone from Haiti.

Roberto and his family

In the last letter I mentioned that in the first of Nov., 700 gang cyclist rode into Montrouis, all with automatic weapons, and made the decree that everyone had 24 hours to get out of town as the boss wanted to make Montrouis his headquarters, because we have no police. I have no idea how many people live in our town with shacks up the mountains and only several streets, just motorcycle alleys but somewhere between 5,000-10,000?? Roberto and the men took some of the vehicles to the mountain villages, and then removed keys, flattened tires in the compound so if they did break in they would have some diversion. Roberto then paid the 2 employees the rest of the years pay and said you all are on your own.

We share a wall with an orphanage with several severely handicapped and the owner is in Michigan. Roberto went over and told the cooks, washer women and the older kids to dress like you are going to church. He then called a bus company which has large cruiser busses and ordered one to come pick up a load of people. Why they believed him is unbelievable but they did and sent the bus to load with Roberto’s immediate family and 30 from the orphanage. When the gang stopped the bus, he said, “We are going to church”. And they let them through. The reason the busses are able to use the roads is because they are paying the gangs a fee for that privilege. The bus would not stop in Montrouis as there were too many gang members so the escaping group had gone ahead in Tap Taps, pickups to a town 20 miles north. There the bus stopped and loaded them all for the 10 hr ride. It was raining and as the bus came around a corner there were 2 gasoline transport semis blocking the road as they could not pass. There was a bus coming from the other direction, so both busses just switched passengers, turned around and headed back.

Some of our vehicles parked in a mountain village

When they did arrive in Cap Haitian, a very large city and their destination they could not find the place they had made arrangements to stay. It also is an orphanage and had room for 8 guests and Roberto delivered 40. Those that could just lay on the floor as it had been a very long day. The next morning Roberto went out and purchased some mattresses and food, each of which have now tripled in price as so many are fleeing to the city. They did find another building which they needed to clean up to sleep in but at least they were out of the weather. Roberto called and said they had gotten settled several days later and said, “It could be worse as we have it better than many others”. He has since found a building he will use for his family but will not be ready to live in for a month. How long will they have to stay and how can Cap Haitian handle many more people? When will they be able to return home? No one knows. So the future looks very uncertain and discouraging. With the problems in Gaza, China, Venezuela, Somalia, Ukraine, Haiti does not get any news coverage, so 95% of the US haven’t a clue as to what is happening just 700 mi. south of Miami. Probably our State Department is aware of them in Haiti but China for years has been there building roads and making other improvements. Seems to me that could be a larger National Security concern.

Downtown Cap Haitian, a beautiful town 5 years ago

Roberto has called our night watchman, who did not leave town and as of now our compound has not been broken into. As having said before,” This can only have happened except through the Lord’s Protection, brought on from your prayers. Several people have asked me what the future holds for Water4Haiti? The decision will definitely be made by another nation and how they choose to handle the terrible situation. Some have said, “Let the people handle their own problems”. This is easily said but the population of ten million have only garden hoes and machetes against ten thousand with automatic weapons and unlimited ammunition. One thing we do know and that in the heat of Haiti’s climate one can survive only one half day without water, so pumps will need to be repaired. When we get back the team is so far behind now I would think of adding another team to repair pumps is a possibility. For now, just pray for peace, as nothing can even begin to heal without it. Roberto was at the dock the other day checking what we might need to do when we finally send the container.

Can you believe it but the cost of Customs has risen considerably. HA! Thank you for the year and sticking with us through too much bad news and nothing we can do about it but pray. Merry Christmas and let’s just say right now, 2026 is going to be the “Turning Point” for Haiti.

One item of good news for Haiti and that is, their soccer team has qualified for the first round for the World Cup. Haitian’s love soccer and I am very sure this is one bright light for them to talk about and enjoy and maybe take their minds off of all their misery, if even for a short while. I wonder where they practice?

Sincerely,

Chuck and the Board of Directors